Rugby Sevens

[Doon frae Troon]

Having watched the Commonwealth Games live and followed a bit of the World series got me thinking.
The crowds love it, especially the women and children.
Popular in the established rugby countries plus Russia, China, African, Portugal, Spain and now the USA.
Now an Olympic sport.

Do you think that this form of rugby will grow more popular than the 15 a side game?

PS. Another Scottish invention!

 

[chrisd]

PS. Another Scottish invention!

Too tight to pay for a full team?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Having watched the Commonwealth Games live and followed a bit of the World series got me thinking.
The crowds love it, especially the women and children.
Popular in the established rugby countries plus Russia, China, African, Portugal, Spain and now the USA.
Now an Olympic sport.

Do you think that this form of rugby will grow more popular than the 15 a side game?

PS. Another Scottish invention!

Nope

It's been around for decades and in that time the 15 a side game has just grown.

It's a good quick game for a weekend tournament but whilst grounds are only half full when it come to an autumn or summer or the 6 nations the grounds are bursting at the seems

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Too tight to pay for a full team?

That's sharp

 

[Doon frae Troon]

180,000 watched the 4 sessions at Ibrox.

The constant fiddling with the rules and scrum re-setting is IMO spoiling the 15 a side game.

 

[CMAC]

180,000 watched the 4 sessions at Ibrox.

The constant fiddling with the rules and scrum re-setting is IMO spoiling the 15 a side game.

Thats 45000 a session, looked way emptier than that each session I saw in TV- friends there also said the same.

3 days prior I was offered free tickets from different sources...just for the rugby

 

[Deleted member 15344]

180,000 watched the 4 sessions at Ibrox.

The constant fiddling with the rules and scrum re-setting is IMO spoiling the 15 a side game.

82000 watch one game at Twickenham - how many were in Murrayfield for the 7's tournament last year - it was half empty as was Twickenham - as is most of the 7's bar Dubai ( which only holds about 20000 )

7's is great but it's just never going to overtake the 15 a side arena

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Thats 45000 a session, looked way emptier than that each session I saw in TV- friends there also said the same.

3 days prior I was offered free tickets from different sources...just for the rugby

Figures look sound, 55,500 capacity at Ibrox and there were not many empty seats when I was there.
They were 5 hour sessions so quite a bit of movement for food, loos etc.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Been some cracking games. There was a rugby PL 7's tournament on BT sport last night I wanted to watch (lost that battle to the missus and the swimming)

 

[Val]

Melrose 7's is a great weekend of 7's

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

82000 watch one game at Twickenham - how many were in Murrayfield for the 7's tournament last year - it was half empty as was Twickenham - as is most of the 7's bar Dubai ( which only holds about 20000 )

7's is great but it's just never going to overtake the 15 a side arena

Twickenham sold out this year for the Sevens. I was amazed - I was there on the Saturday and had expected just the lower, or lower and middle tiers to be full, but it was all sold out.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Was at Ibrox tonight for the 7s finals - had an excellent time - great rugby - great fun- and not far from a capacity crowd. My lad enjoyed it and he'd not watched any live rugby before. They just made it good fun

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Was at Ibrox tonight for the 7s finals - had an excellent time - great rugby - great fun- and not far from a capacity crowd. My lad enjoyed it and he'd not watched any live rugby before. They just made it good fun

Good to see the Saffys win, they were the best team and great sports. Cecil Africa great name and player.

 

[MegaSteve]

Good to see the Saffys win,

The resident Seffrican [at work] will be intolerable this evening...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Guess New Zealand had to lose at some point but thought SA played better, made fewer mistakes and deserved their win

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The All Blacks were cynical foulers and a bit of a disgrace to their country and the sport.
Two yellow cards against Scotland and another one [by the baldy/beardy guy that the ref missed] should have been a straight red.

All the African teams played with great spirit and 'honesty'

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Given what is happening to cricket, with T20 becoming more global and popular than Test cricket (big Ashes series aside), I wouldn't be surprised to see similar happening in rugby.

It would need a bit more advertisement, but Sevens is a bit easier to understand, often has more scoring, and is quick, to suit everyones short attention spans of today! If they push it in big countries like USA, Russia, and in more countries in Africa, expect it to really take off! I quite enjoy having a morning of 7s on the TV, lots of different games. For me, nothing will beat 15s, just like Test cricket is the pinnacle, but I'm not sure my view will be shared globally

 

[Doon frae Troon]

My missus really enjoyed the 7's...........this is someone who generally watches about 10 minutes of any sport [except show jumping] before pronouncing it BORING.

 

[MegaSteve]

Cricket was in the doldrums and needed 'saving'... Not really the case with rugby...

 

[Stuey01]

Sevens is good for a giggle, but it's not a patch on the proper game, IMO.
Favours a certain type of player (fast!) over all others, the full game demonstrates a much broader set of skills across the different positions.